The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Belgian Development Cooperation, which are particularly sensitive to the situation of fishermen and fish traders who ended up without livelihood after the passage of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, decided in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, to help households living mainly on maritime resources in the Great South through the Project "Protection, Rehabilitation and Diversification of the Livelihoods of the People Affected by Hurricane Matthew"

he project, targeting 2,500 fishermen and women fish traders in 21 coastal communities in the South, began operations to distribute fishing gear to Saint Jean du Sud, one of the communes on the South Coast severely affected.

Jean Rivière Bartole, Director General of the Town Council of Saint Jean du Sud, thanked the Ministry of Agriculture and its partners for their assistance to the fishermen's groups of this commune. Jean Ernso Roger, Director of the Agricultural Bureau of the Commune (BAC) of Saint Jean du Sud welcomed this support and assured that his Office was willing to follow up this initiative in order to guarantee optimal management of the given materials " I would like to draw the attention of all fishermen who are present here that these materials should be used for collective purposes for the sustainable improvement of the situation of the whole fishing community. I invite them to make a rational management of these fishing equipments. The BAC will ensure thh follow up and accompany the groups of fishermen with a view to the development of the fishing industry in the commune."

Maria Rey de Arce, Project Coordinator for FAO, pointed out that this initiative targets the most vulnerable fishermen in the affected communes "Within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the FAO and the organization 'Artisanal Fisheries and Integrated Development' (PADI), a technical assistance will be given to fishers for the proper use of the materials we are distributing, including engines, equipment for the construction of Fish Concentration Devices (FAD), lines and hooks . PADI will accompany the fishermen in the improvement of their fishing techniques with a view to strengthening the sector."

Nearly 60 fishermen and fish traders who were members of the "Coordination des Organizations des Pêcheurs de Saint Jean du Sud" (COPESS) welcomed the launch of this project and the donation of equipment.

In the 21 coastal communes targeted by the project, training sessions for fishermen's groups will be carried out, in addition to the distribution of equipment, for the establishment, management and maintenance of Fish Concentration Devices (FADs), as well as the management and maintenance of engines, boats and fishing equipment. At the same time, boat and engine repair workshops will be organized for fishermen's groups, as well as training courses on Risk Management and Disasters at Sea.